New innovations – such as digital loyalty programs and online ordering – have the potential to make a positive impact on the experience diners have with your restaurant. In fact, four out of five diners agree restaurant technology improves their guest experience.

But while restaurant technology can certainly enhance the diner experience, that isn’t the only way it can leave your restaurant better off. From freeing up front- and back-of-house staff to helping you develop a better understanding of key customer segments, technology can go a long way toward improving your restaurant operations.

Increased efficiency

In addition to convenience, online ordering and other restaurant technology also promise to improve your restaurant’s efficiency. Rather than jotting down orders that come in by phone, your restaurant staff will have the chance to help out with other tasks such as preparing orders for delivery or clearing tables.

Perhaps even more importantly, online ordering will also reduce the time it takes to process each order. Our research found the average phone order processes in about two minutes while a typical Grubhub order takes just 45 seconds to go through. That extra time can be used to churn out orders faster than ever before.

Enhanced safety and consistency

Slowly but surely, robots are starting to pop up in restaurants all around the world. With these new innovations comes the potential for improved safety and consistency. A salad-making robot known as Sally is just one example of robots that have been tasked with preparing food. Since human hands never come close to dishes prepared by robots, the risk of foodborne illness can be significantly reduced.

Such robots will also usher in greater consistency among your restaurant’s dishes. From chopping up vegetables to plating a dish, robots operate with extreme precision, guaranteeing every dish that leaves your kitchen tastes as good as the last. And while robots spend time prepping dishes, your restaurant staff can focus more on the customer experience.

Better understanding of diner preferences

Loyalty programs are one form of restaurant technology that have been around for a while – but digital loyalty programs are just starting to see increased adoption. Some restaurant owners are transitioning from key tags and plastic membership cards to digital loyalty apps that enable diners to access a loyalty program directly from their smartphone.

Not only do digital loyalty programs give diners the chance to earn rewards, they also provide restaurant owners with the opportunity to collect valuable information about diners, such as their preferred menu items. You can then use this data to determine which dishes appeal to your most loyal diners.

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